Abyss Fang SYOC
by Buster Edge
Summary: A decade after the fall of the Alvarez Empire, new troubles are now brewing on the horizon. An elite task force will be assembled to reign in chaos and restore order back to the fallen country. Will they be able to carry out their duties or will this mashup of mages open the gates of hell even further. OC submissions are now open.
1. Prologue

**Prologue: Alvarez Now**

 **Jan 1** **st** **, Year X802**

 _10 years ago marked the turning point for one of the continent's largest empires, the Alvarez Empire. Its leader, Zeref, was defeated during the invasion of Fiore by Fairy Tail and his identity was made known to the entire country. While most of his subjects had long known about their leader's supreme magic and capabilities, his true identity as the Black Wizard caught all off guard. The rumored wizard of death and calamity being the leader of a country was something no one expected. Admiration and love instantly turned to disgust and fear as citizens feared for their safety. In the months to come, the royal palace was assaulted and besieged by waves of protestors demanding answers from what was left of the original Zeref administration. As though their hands weren't full enough, there came the problem from the guilds and nations that Zeref had once subjugated. Once united under a common leader which they all feared, each of them have began striking out on their own, reclaiming their lost territories and those of neighboring countries in a bid to fill the power vacuum left behind. With no one willing to remain part of the empire, the almighty nation crumbled overnight, leaving it with a mere fraction of its original military strength. This has only served to incite attacks from neighboring countries and raiders, in particular those whom Zeref had been oppressing up till that point in time. As a result, Alvarez's economy crashed overnight with no traders willing to export their goods due to the high crime levels and risky environment. In a bid to salvage the situation, the remnants of Zeref's administration decided to employ intellectual individuals from the populace to serve as a new council in governing Alvarez. While they did manage to retain trade to a certain extent, the problem of raids and rogue guilds still persisted, leaving them all at their wits end. Till date, this problem still remains as the bane of the Empire._

A young male stood out on a balcony of a brick tower, facing the streets of Vistarion. He sighed inwardly as he gazed upon the deserted streets. What was once a bustling market place had now been reduced to a shadow of its former self, sporting nothing more than just three stores and he knew one of them had just suffered a raid. He still remembered vividly 10 years ago, he used to roam and play on these streets as a kid without a care to the world. He recalled always snorting with disgust when he spoke of politicians, though the irony was that he was one now.

"Well time flies and people change too," he spoke to no one in particular. This man went by the name of Rex Tron, one of the seven members of Alvarez's new council. Rex was around 20 years of age and stood at an even 6'0. Despite his young age, the man held an air of maturity and his eyes shone with wisdom and wit of someone who was easily three times older. His skin was a slight tan and his original spiky black hair had started to turn white and the frays due to overwork. He had a slightly angled face and wore a pair of frameless glasses. He was currently wearing a white long sleeved shirt and a red tie, accompanied by a grey vest and black pants. He also wore a pair of black court shoes and a gold pocket watch that went well with his overall outfit.

He was currently situated in a tall spiral building that levitated over the city of Vistarion. Behind the balcony led to a polished stone room that was rather simple in design, having only a long wooden table and seven wooden chairs to serve as the meeting place for all council members, rows and rows of documents lined along polished wooden cabinets and a simple couch whose leather was visibly worn out. Despite the shoddy accommodations for someone of his status, Rex did not mind at all. In fact he was more than glad to be able to salvage this much from the old building before it mysteriously caught fire and burnt down 3 years ago.

The tower itself was not all that impressive as well. Creeping vines and algae coated its surface, hinting at how old and obsolete it was. Cracks lining the outer surface revealed the green levitation lacrima that was keeping the building afloat, a potential threat should anyone wish to destroy the council in one shot. Even so, it was still very unlikely given that the tower was so high up that most ranged spells could not even reach it. Despite its flaws, this tower served as the current council's headquarters. All major decisions regarding Alvarez were made and announced from here. Vistarion also served as the council's home ground and was the centre of its operations. The city was situated in the midst of a mountainous region, a few hundred feet above sea level. Due to the high altitude, a breathing lacrima dome is also installed over the city, allowing residents to breathe normally. In addition, the city's location also granted it natural protection against large scale assaults and invasions, giving those who live there a certain degree of peace. But that too comes with a heavy price. Vistarion is almost completely isolated from the rest of Alvarez, the only source of its trade coming from passing nomads or the occasional traveler who took a gamble with faith. To leave the city is almost suicidal as well. A thick fog covers the mountainous regions, just on its outskirts which makes visibility near zero. One wrong step and you could go plummeting to your death. A single teleporter exists within the heart of the city, heavily guarded by teams of Rune Knights. While it does grant access to registered towns and villages, applying to use it usually takes months of clearance and background checks so most residents have long abandoned hope of leaving Vistarion.

"I really hate this job, being stuck in a god forsaken place just to save my country that's on the decline." Rex grumbled under his breath as he adjusted his glasses. That was when he heard a man cough behind him, startling him slightly.

"Now now, Rex." The voice chided gently. "You were chosen for a reason. Remember we are just pawns in the grand scheme of things."

"Cody," Rex smiled warmly in return as he turned to face his colleague. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Cody Barns was also a young man of 23 years, being just older than Rex slightly. Because of that, it made Rex more comfortable talking to him compared to some of the others. He stood also at 6'0 and has shoulder length, smooth blond hair. He had a sharp face and bright blue eyes that glistened with intelligence. His white skin tone went well with the white priest robe and long pants that he was currently wearing and despite its baggy form, one could faintly make out the man's well toned body. While he did not wear any shoes, he was equipped with a pair of silver bracelets on his wrists and ankles. In his left hand, he held white and golden staff that had a blue lacrima resting in its core, the main source of his magic powers.

"Yeah, unfortunately," Cody smiled sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his head. "There have been recent reports of pirate activity at Leol Port. Traders are scared of offloading their cargo there since the most recent case that happened last week involved not just the sinking of two fishing vessels but also the razing of a local market when the owner refused to pay the protection fees. At this rate, Alvarez's economy is going to crumble even further then when we first took over."

"The Blood Halo again?" Rex asked to which Cody nodded, causing the former to sigh in exasperation. Blood Halo was one of the most rampant and chaotic guilds out there and they currently held almost a third of the country's territory, making them one of the leaders in the power struggle. Originally a small guild that was situated inland near the Croco Swamps, they shot to fame overnight when their guild master died, leaving the executives free reign to conquer other areas. Without anyone to stop them, they left wakes of destruction in their path. There were those who tried to stop them but till date none had succeeded and those who tried were publicly executed as an example. Under their harsh leadership and subjugation, they grew into a large organization, spanning multiple sub-guilds under them. For them to occupy the port would only mark the beginning of the end for Alvarez.

"I haven't found anyone suitable yet," Rex protested as he rubbed his forehead with his palm. "There aren't many mages who still live here you know. And those that do probably still live in fear of Blood Halo."

"I thought you had guy in mind," Cody prompted.

"Yeah… Yeah right." Rex scowled. "Sure he has the specs and experience, but he lacks the attitude and conviction to be a leader. This isn't a game you know. We can't have some half assed dude leading an elite task force that is meant to save the country. Besides, I'm pretty sure he threw away the communications lacrima I gave him a year ago…"

Before Rex could ramble on, Cody stepped forward and placed a hand on his shoulder, signaling for him to stop.

"We don't have much time Rex," Cody said with seriousness in his voice. "That man is our best bet at saving this country right now. If we don't give a name now, old man Grey is going to have a fit and that is going to be the least of our problems."

As much as Rex hated it, Cody was right. That man met all of his requirements as a talent scout, save his bad attitude. If anyone could take on Blood Halo, it would be him.

"Alright, I'll call him." Rex sighed as he gave in.

"Yeah, but you're gonna have to find his particulars amidst that mess first." Cody pointed at the piles of papers that covered the meeting table.

Rex sighed again. This was gonna take a while.

 **Koitail Village,** **North of Vistarion**

"WHAT WAS THAT PUNK!" A burly man hollered, raising the attention of almost every customer within the restaurant. The target of his words was a drunken man who was currently sprawled over a table top, bottles of cheap alcohol littered all over the floor. Said man was currently wearing a black cape and cowl, the only distinguishing thing about him was the pair of black combat boots he was wearing.

"Didn't ja hear what I said?" he slurred as he swished what was left in the wine bottle that he was currently holding before downing its contents. "I said I don't have any money with me. "

"You have some nerve!" The man growled as he yanked the drunk to his feet. "So you think you can just stroll in, drink almost all the booze here and expect to leave without paying?!"

"Yep!" the drunk chirped before hiccupping.

"YOU BASTARD!" the man hollered as he ploughed his fist straight into the man's gut, coughing him to throw up. He then followed up by slamming him onto a table top, shattering the wooden furniture with ease. As if that wasn't enough, he then proceeded to plough the man's frail body through the windows of the shop, stopping only to hurl him into a corner. The man's body crumbled limply in a corner, blood oozing from beneath the cloak.

The other customers all screamed in fear at what appeared to be murder in broad daylight. They instantly dropped everything that they were doing and fled from the restaurant, fervently praying that they would not be implicated or end up the same as the poor man. Within seconds, the entire restaurant was emptied, save for two other figures that sat in the far corner and the man's three other friends that ran the restaurant with him.

"You show him Tyson!" one of the men yelled in joy from behind the counter while his two other friends cheered him on. "That'll teach him to mess with someone from Blood Halo."

"What…what did you say…" the drunken man croaked.

"Are you deaf!?" Tyson roared as he grabbed the man's skull and smashed him straight into the wall, causing his body to twitch violently as he lay very still. "This restaurant is run by a member of Blood Halo, Bloody Fist Tyson and his three brothers. You have some nerve trying a dine and dash on my turf. But don't worry. I'll make sure I decorate your corpse to serve as a warning to others."

"Well that's a relief," the drunken man muttered silently.

"What was that asshole?" Tyson raged, raising another fist as he prepared to bury it into the man's head. "you had better speak up, cause it's going to be your last!" On the other hand, the drunken man paid no attention to his words and continued speaking.

"At last I've found you."

As the words left his lips, the drunken man's hand instantly shot out from beneath his cloak. In a flash, his fingers were wrapped around Tyson's head.

"W…What?" Tyson's eyes blinked rapidly as he tried to comprehend what was happening. One moment that man was almost dead, in the next his vision was obscured by his palm. Not that he could think any further as he felt five points of extreme pressure clamping down on his skull.

"Arrrgh…arrghhh…AAAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH IT HURTS LET GO!" the behemoth of a man roared in pain as he felt the fingers beginning to dig into his skull. He desperately clawed and punched at the arm but no matter how hard he struck, the grip only seemed to worsen. Feeling powerless, he felt his legs crumble as he fell to his knees, the hall filled with his pain filled screams.

In the meantime, the drunken man had yanked himself out from the brick wall and was now standing over his assailant. With his free hand, the man yanked off his cloak to reveal his full appearance. He had a lean and well toned body as well as a pale skin tone. While not staggeringly tall, he stood at 6'3 which was well above the average height. His eyes were emerald green and seemed to pierce into one's soul when gazed at. His hair was pure white and messy, his fringe covering a side of his sharp face. He was currently wearing a black twin tailed Executioner's cloak, beneath it a grey shirt and black jeans. Hidden under his shirt was a crimson tattoo that stretched across his chest, resembling a pair of bladed claws. Across his body, similar crimson vein tattoos stretch from his heart to his limbs, neck and legs.

"Great, you just wasted my tomato juice," he sighed as he removed the crushed packet from his coat pocket, confirming to be the source of the "blood" earlier. "Now then, do you mind repeating what you said earlier? I really don't want to waste anyone's time here." He asked in a carefree manner.

"You bastard!" one of the man behind the counter growled. "Let him go now!" Beside him, the other two men reached beneath the bar and pulled out lacrima guns, training them on the pale figure who was holding their friend captive.

"Eh?" The man turned his head in the direction of the bar when he heard the sound of arms being drawn. "You really shouldn't do that you know," he added in a concerned tone.

"Don't screw with us!" Both men yelled as they prepared to pull their triggers, only to realise that their weapons were no longer attached to their hands. Looks of panic and confusion overtook them as they desperately gazed about looking for their weapons, only to discover them floating a few metres away.

Right above the hands of one of the remaining two customers.

"I believe he told you not to do that right," one of them growled as the three men watched in horror as he absorbed the guns within his body. Said male stood at 6'5, towering over everyone else in the building. He had a muscular body and peach coloured skin. He appeared youthful-looking with medium-length, wavy, messy black hair, and his bangs are parted to the left and hang over his left eye. But what caught the attention of everyone was the steel jaw guard that was drilled into the side of his face and the crimson cybernetic eye that served as his right. He was currently wearing a devilish grin that exposed his razor sharp teeth. For attire, he was wearing only a simple white short sleeved shirt that was currently unbuttoned to reveal his muscular chest and black and gold baggy pants that were tucked into a pair of brown steel toed boots. One could clearly see the swathes of scars decorating his body as well as the random rows of screws that seemed to be implanted into him. Overall he resembled nothing less than a Frankenstein but to the natives of Alvarez, they knew very well what he was.

"A Machias?!" one of the men uttered in fear. "Its not possible. Your whole race should have been extinct after the war."

"Well too bad fool," the Machias smirked as he watched the men cower. 'I ain't…" before he could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by a savage howl that erupted from the other figure seated across the table.

Said figure was female, the last person anyone would expect such a sound to come from. She stood at 5'8 and had pale white skin like her comrade. She had a very elegant and pristine face that resembled a doll's. Her eyes were bright green also, though they were currently obscured by her red shoulder length hair. She had a rather voluptuous figure as well, sporting rather large assets that were only made all the more obvious with the white tube dress that she was dressed in. As though she was about to get married, she was even wearing a bridal veil and white high heeled shoes. However, the killer intent that she was emitting was far from concealed, a stark contrast to the bright and lovely figure that she appeared to be. This was even more prominent when she removed something that was attached to her back.

"What the hell is that!" the men shrieked in horror as they gazed upon what was possibly the last thing they saw in their lives.

It was a massive pair of scissors, or to be more precise a sword that was modelled after a scissors. Said weapon was at least two metres long and dual bladed, one of which was shorter than the other. At the end of each blade was a handle, allowing the user to use it like a sword or a scissors. The entire weapon was dyed black, crimson veins stretching across it that pulsated every few seconds. To everyone that witnessed it, it gave off the feeling that it was hungry which was rather apt since the weapon was indeed alive.

"Mika, wait…" the Executioner man spoke as he addressed the girl but it was way too late. With a loud moan, Mika leapt of her table, the scissors blade opened wide as she spotted her targets. It was over instantly. Before either man could scream, Mika's blades had sliced all three of them cleanly in half. The lower stumps of their bodies erupted into fountains of blood , staining the bar and the girl's dress a sickening red.

"Oh man, there she did it again." The Machias face-palmed and the Executioner man sighed as well. Upon hearing their voices, Mika turned up from the scene of the massacre, he lips pouted as she let out a small groan of annoyance.

"Nevermind that," the Executioner man replied, turning his attention back to Tyson who was bleeding profusely from his head. "Any last words?"

"Hehe…hehe…hehheehehe…" Tyson began laughing slowly like a madman, his voice becoming more garbled and softer with each passing second. "You… won't… get away…Blood…Halo…avenge me."

"Well, I do hope so. Cause I have every intention of killing them all." The Executioner man replied solemnly before exerting even more pressure on his head. With a final push, he shattered Tyson's skull, crushing his head like a ripe apple. Without even watching his lifeless body hit the ground, all three of them left the restaurant.

"Mika, how many times have I told you to hold back? We may need them alive one of these days so I can't have you killing them every time you see one of us getting hurt." The Executioner man chided gently. As though protesting, Mika let out a series of moans and clicks, tilting her head away with her nose in the air as though she was throwing a tantrum.

"You too, Len. You should have stopped her." He added, addressing the Machias this round.

"Been there, done that Vergil. You know very well I can't stop her even if I tried."

"Yeah, you're right about that." Vergil responded, knowing full well that Mika was unstoppable in her fury.

"By the way," Len started, causing both Vergil and Mika to turn their heads to him. "You know that lacrima that you gave me a year back? It's been beeping non-stop for the past one hour or so during the job."

"You mean you haven't absorbed it yet?" Vergil replied stunned.

"Well, it's such a waste to eat such precious materials. These things are hard to come by nowadays." Len shrugged, before returning to the topic at hand. "Anyways, it seems that those higher ups have a job for us this time. Probably the biggest one we have taken yet."

"Ok, what's it called."

"Project Abyss Fang."

 **Author's Note**

 _ **Hi guys so this is my first attempt at a fanfiction so please show me lots of support. If you haven't guessed it yet, this is an SYOC fic so I'm gonna be needing lots of OCs. OC form will be included in my profile by the end of the week and I will only be accepting OCs that follow the form strictly and are sent via PM. Also, I will only be accepting straight pairing because I'm not really good with writing Yaoi or Yuri. Last but not least, a huge shoutout to Death Obelisk for helping me fine tune some details regarding Alvarez and providing me with inspiration for my characters. He writes Fairy Tail fanfics too so please check him out!**_


	2. The Recruitment Begins

**Vistarion, Council Tower**

"Abyss Fang huh," Vergil muttered out loud as he let the name roll over his tongue a few times. "Sounds like someone just mashed two words together when they couldn't think of anything else. A pretty cheap name for an operation."

"Really," Len stared bewildered "I thought it sounded pretty cool." Mika moaned in agreement as well, sharing Len's sentiments.

"That's cause you guys have bad taste." Vergil remarked. "Any details provided about this job?"

"Nope, that's exactly why we were called here right," Len replied as he propped his legs up against the meeting table, kicking back in his chair to try and relax. Though one could hardly say that this was the most comfortable scenario. All around them stood teams of Rune Knights, staring at them intently with tightened grips on their weapons.

"Told ya we should have washed the blood off first," Vergil grumbled as he scanned the room, looking for any points of exit should a fight break out. They were in a circular cobblestone room that only had a single balcony and was lit by a light lacrima that hung overhead. Due to simplicity in design, it didn't provide Vergil with much options to escape, save for the fall out of the window. It wasn't the fact that Vergil could not defeat them, but the last thing he needed now was causing trouble with the higher ups of Alvarez. They had arrived at Vistarion an hour ago, trying to find their mission handler but only to be teleported straight into the council building. There, a minor mayhem erupted slightly seeing as how all their clothes were caked with the blood of Tyson and his crew, in particularly Mika. As a result, they have been kept under extreme scrutiny in the meeting room as they waited for the council member who contacted them to arrive.

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally heard the door knob click and turn. As it swung open, the teams of Rune Knights snapped into crisp salutes as the council member walked in.

"Well, color me surprised. I really did not expect you to show up." Cody remarked as he laid down the documents in his hands onto the table, taking the seat directly opposite Vergil.

"Thanks for the wait asshole," Len growled. "You could have told us you would only be home an hour later when you sent that transmission earlier. You were lucky that you didn't compromise our job with that annoying buzzer of yours."

Unfortunately for Len, Cody seemed to pay no heed to his words, causing the Machias to rave in frustration, held back only by Mika. Instead, he began to sort through the paperwork that he had placed down, stopping only when he had found what he was looking for.

"Let's get down to business shall we," he smiled as he began to read off the three sheets of paper that he held in his hand. "Vergil the Absolute, 27, human. Currently a freelance mercenary."

"Yeah, that's me," Vergil smirked.

"Len Vega, Unknown, Machias. Last of his kind."

"Hey, I know about my pitiful state ok," Len grumbled, already not liking Cody. "Can we quickly get this done and over with."

"Mikaela Blaze, 24, modified human. Wielder of a Relic of Solomon."

"Ahhhhhh," Mika moaned slightly, not seeing any point of these details.

"I'm pretty surprised that Rex even chose any of you. From all I can tell, you guys are nothing but a motley bunch of mages. I'm sure that there are better candidates out there for this job." Cody sighed as he placed the papers back onto the table, looking each mage in the eye.

"Well, trust me. I'm the last person that wants to be here." Scowled Len. "If it weren't for Vergil, I would have torn this place apart long ago. You guys ordered the extinction of my entire race!"

"Well the Machias were plotting a rebellion and we could not afford any more damage to the stability of Alvarez. We did offer them a chance to surrender you know. It's not as though we are heartless monsters that go about causing race extinctions." Cody retorted. "We even gave each one of you a proper burial after the deed was done."

"But to kill the children and the women? Who have nothing to do with the rebellion!?" Len roared, infuriated by Cody's choice of words. "We may be machines but we have human hearts and minds!"

"Then you should have thought twice before razing human villages and killing humans too. Where did your human parts go to then!?" Cody rebuked, his face still in a state of calm despite Len's outburst.

"MOTHERFUCKER!" Len yelled, slamming his hands onto the table as his arms started to morph. Before he could even move a step, spears and blades instantly surrounded his neck and body, forbidding any sudden movements.

"AHHHHH!" Mika growled angrily as she watched her friend fall captive to the weapons of the Rune Knights. She subconsciously began to reach for her scissor blade, only to be stopped by a hand that clamped down on her wrist. Snarling, she looked up, only to see Vergil shaking his head slightly.

"That's enough Mika. You too, Len. Cool off." Vergil spoke gently as he addressed his two comrades. While his voice held no ill intentions, it was clear from his eyes that he was serious about it. With that, Mika's expression softened and her hand left the grip of her blade. Len's scowl was replaced with a much gentler frown. He immediately began to withdraw his morph, settling back into his chair, arms crossed.

"Well, I do apologize for my friends' behavior," Vergil smiled as he faced Cody. "If possible we would like to get down to business and leave already."

"Fine," Cody snorted, a slight grin on his face. "We want you to create and lead a taskforce that is capable of fighting Blood Halo, so that we can return peace to Alvarez and reunite the country once more."

"Pffffffftttttt! What!" Len snorted in disbelief before exploding into laughter.

"Ahhhhhh?" Mika looked confused as well.

"What's so funny," Cody asked, a stern look on his face. "Here we are, seeking help from you to save our country. And all you can do is mock it?"

"That's the problem right there," Len giggled. "We are mercenaries, man. Not some group of chummy people that hold hands together and sing kumbaya. That's what you want us to do right? Form a guild to take out another one? And here I thought I was crazy!"

"Very well then." Cody sighed heavily. "You leave me with no choice." Before anyone could react, a small silver magic circle appeared before his palm, glistening brightly upon activation.

"Time stop." Cody commanded.

In that very instant, all life seemed to crawl at an unbelievably slow pace. Mika's widening eyes, Len's gaping mouth as he laughed, the curses flowing out of the Rune Knights present at their utter disrespect. It was as though time had stood still for everything and everyone.

Well save for two people.

"Guess you didn't earn the title of Chronomancer for nothing," Vergil remarked as he stared around him, taking in the view from within the silver bubble that was erected around him and Cody.

"It took years of practice. Unlike a certain prodigy that I know." Cody smirked, to which Vergil returned the smile. "I still can't believe that after all this time, you are still alive."

"Touche," grinned Vergil. "And I can't believe that you actually joined the council. I still remember the days when you followed me around on the streets, claiming that you wanted to be my disciple. A decade later and you are already on par with me."

That caused a small laugh to erupt from both males but as quickly as it came, it died down fast. For a moment, a veil of silence surrounded them.

"Why me?" Vergil asked, finally breaking it. "You should know better than to let the godson of August take on such an important job. What will the public think? The council will lose all credibility overnight."

"They don't know that. Neither do they need to. Of all the candidates in there, I know you the best. And I know that you still have a sense of justice buried deep within you." Cody replied. "10 years may be enough time to change someone, but not you."

"What makes you so sure?" Vergil chuckled.

"All the cases you've taken so far, they all involved families that needed help or villages that were being terrorized. No matter how paltry the payment was, you would take it up without hesitation. If there's something I know, it's that you ain't in it for the money. You are just doing this because it's the only option open to you to help others unofficially."

"You sneaky bastard," Vergil commented though his tone was more jest than hostile.

"I'm not the council member in charge of surveillance for nothing," Cody grinned.

For a moment, Vergil's smile died down as he crossed his hands over his chest and pondered. Cody had really hit the nail on the head there. Though their methods were sometimes a bit extreme, all he wanted to do was to help save people. More than anything, he still wanted to carry on his dream of being a hero of justice. All of them did. Len wanted to make amendments for his race's mistakes and Mika wanted to prevent what had happened to her from befalling anyone else. Now an opportunity had finally presented itself. They no longer needed to hide in the shadows and can finally be proud of what they were doing. They had the power to save this country, and it was about time they started doing so.

"Very well, I accept." Vergil answered determination and steel lacing his voice. Cody smiled, glad that his friend had finally come to terms with himself. Just as he was about to speak, Vergil cut him off, holding up his hand.

"But, I have two conditions." Vergil insisted.

"Very well, name them."

"One, I get to choose my guild mates without the council's interference. The last thing I need is you guys spying on me from my own guild."

"Fair enough," Cody agreed. "The second?"

"I want Rebbie back." Vergil replied simply.

That statement actually made Cody pale. "You know I can't do that Vergil."

"Why not? You are the one who took it from me. So you should also have the ability to return it right?" Vergil protested.

"Well, that may be true but doing so also violates rule 35 of the constitution which states that…" Cody started before Vergil interrupted him. "Rebbie is an important part of me. If you want me to start a guild, I would prefer to be at full strength in case something happens. Don't you agree? Besides, she's hurt. I have to nurse her."

Cody just gave a smile of exasperation, already knowing that he could not win this argument. "Very well. I guess I'll entrust you with her again."

"By the way, your guild house and accommodations are all taken care of already. Just bring your members back here to Vistarion by the end of the month and we will see to your arrangements." Cody added, causing Vergil to grin even more.

"Well that's one more problem I can worry less for." Vergil laughed, Cody following suit as well.

With that, he snapped his fingers again, causing the silver bubble to vanish and time to flow normally once more.

"Hahahahahhahaha! There's no way we'll help them right Vergil?" Len laughed out loud, expecting Vergil to back him up. To his surprise though, Vergil responded different.

"Thank you for the job councilor. We will accept the job and get started immediately." Vergil smirked, shaking Cody's hand as both men reached an agreement.

With that, Vergil got off his seat and made his way to the door, beckoning for Len and Mika to follow suit.

"Did something happen that I didn't notice?" Len asked, slightly confused at the turn of events.

"Arhhh?" Mika moaned, equally surprised at Vergil's decision. Guess Vergil might have some explaining to do.

As he watched the trio leave the room, Cody gave a silent prayer, wishing his old friend all the best in his future endeavors.

"Stay safe Vergil. The fate of our country now rests with you."

 **Outside the Council Tower**

"Ok, so what just happened?" Len asked, still slightly confused as to what just happened. One moment they were all in the room arguing, and in the next Vergil seemed to already make a deal with the Council. Something just felt amiss.

"Secret," Vergil hushed, bringing a finger up to his lips. That caused Len to scowl slightly and Mika to giggle uncontrollably.

"Har har very funny," Len remarked sarcastically. He really hated it when Vergil kept secrets from them, though he knew it was mostly in their best interests not to know either way. "How bout telling us what's in that trunk then," Len pointed to the black box that was currently in tow behind Vergil. Before they left the council tower, Vergil had taken a short detour to one of the higher floors, asking them to wait in the lobby. When he returned, he was carrying the black case. While it did seem normal, what caught Len's attention was that it was decorated in various runes, most of which were in a language that was long forgotten. Those that Len did recognize bore markings of sealing and containment, all of which were high tiered ones. Add that to the sinister presence Len could sense from within the box, he could not help but wonder what warranted such heavy protection.

"Sure why not," Vergil smirked, placing the box onto the ground. "Though I would highly recommend you guys to stand back."

Without another word, both Mika and Vergil took a few paces, watching with bated breath for something to happen. Vergil then proceeded to place his hand above the chest, muttering something softly under his breath as he did so. A moment of calm passed before a distinct sizzling sound could be heard. Both mages watched as the runes began to gradually disappear off the surface of the chest. With each one that vanished, Len and Mika could sense the growing discomfort that lurked in their hearts. There was a life source within the chest and it was straining to get free. Although neither mage heard anything, they felt as though there was a voice crying savagely, eager to leave its confinement.

It was desperate.

It was hungry.

And it sure as hell wasn't happy.

When the final seal was undone, both mages were literally not breathing; their tongues and stomachs too clenched up to utter a single word. They saw Vergil open the chest and reached in, fear gripping their hearts as to what monstrosity he was about to pull out.

So imagine their surprise when they saw something else entirely.

"That's it?" Len asked, disbelief and fear oozing from his tone as he gazed upon the thing that Vergil had drawn.

It was a simple broadsword, though one could hardly call it a sword anymore. The entire blade was coated in a deep sea of rust, cracks already glistening along it. From what Len could tell, the edges of the blade were blunt, incapable of cutting but rather for bashing. To top that off, it looked as though the blade was missing its top half. Where the tip of the blade was supposed to be was a jagged piece of metal, suggesting that the weapon was broken. Len had been expecting something more sinister, more savage and more destructive based on the aura he was picking up before. Yet all he saw was a pathetic excuse of a weapon.

Mika on the other hand was beyond speechless. Unlike Len, she knew exactly what that weapon was. She did not expect there to be other wielders apart from herself though the condition of the weapon was a mystery of its own. From what she understood, they were near indestructible and yet there lay one before her very eyes, worn and battered to the point of almost beyond repair. For someone to be able to do so, he or she had to be beyond powerful.

"Good to have you back Rebbie," Vergil grinned as he stroked the blade of the broadsword, dusting off some of the rust in the process. "Well then, shall we get going then?" he added, addressing Mika and Len.

"Where to?" Len asked. "And what exactly are we doing?"

"We're going to be recruiting guild members. To do that, we'll be travelling to various parts of Alvarez in search of mages willing to join our cause. When we're done, we assemble back here since the council wants to get an idea of our guild size and members." Vergil explained.

"Easier said than done," Len deadpanned. "It's going to take months to get approval to use the teleporter. If it wasn't for official business, there would be no way we could have gotten to Vistarion in the first place so quickly. And now you want to travel the entire continent?" Mika groaned in agreement, acknowledging the truth in Len's words. It would take weeks just to descend Vistarion, let alone travel Alvarez on foot. How were they even going to find guild mates at this rate?

"That's why I have Rebbie," Vergil corrected. "With her, travelling is not an issue at all." Seeing the looks of confusion on their faces once more, Vergil decided to elaborate. Channeling a fraction of his magic into Rebbie, the blade began to hum slightly as an aura manifested around it. Vergil then proceeded to cleave the air in front of him and as he did so, there was the distinct sound of something being ripped in half. Both mages watched as the space which Vergil just cleaved opened into an elongated oval portal. It was pitched black and seemed to gaze into nothingness, causing them to swallow nervously.

"And voila," Vergil presented grinningly. "There's our ticket out of here." With that he then took a step into the portal, disappearing completely from sight. Although not very certain of its safety, Len and Mika also followed suit, not wanting to be left behind. As soon as all three of them entered, the portal instantly closed itself, removing any trace of their existence in Vistarion.

 **Kraken Turf, south of Leol Port**

"Alright man, this is a far as we can take you." The fisherman called out as a man walked onto the deck of the ship, waving his hand lazily as he did so. "Our livelihoods all depend on this so we wish you all the best."

"Yeah, yeah I get it," the man replied back. "Just hurry back to shore, unless you wanna get stung." With that, he then proceeded to dive overboard, leaping into the crystal clear waters. Turning up, he watched with relief as the boat began pulling away from the area, grateful that he could concentrate on his work.

Said man's name looked like he was in his early twenties, with slanted crimson eyes that were rimmed with thin lashes and a triangular face with a pointed nose. What stood out though were the red teal lines that trickled down his eyes and onto his cheeks as though they were tears. He stood at an even 6'0 with a very well toned figure that had pale skin color. His spiky white hair floated messily about in the water and at his neck was a nasty scar that stretched all the way across his chest. He was currently wearing nothing but a pair of black swimming trunks and a pair of black leather gloves. The bracelet around his wrist shimmered in the sunlight wafting down into the sea, slightly illuminating the region around him.

The man's name was Gryndel and he was a travelling mage for a few years now. Originally from Fiore, he had decided to pay a visit to Alvarez in search of work. Ever since the war ended 10 years ago, Fiore had entered a certain state of peace and mage jobs were currently on the decline. Deciding to try his luck elsewhere, he chose the more dangerous Alvarez that was still in the state of recovery. As luck would have it, he immediately found work at the harbor that he arrived at. An Elephant Kraken was sinking ships off the port and needed to be exterminated. Seeing as how the pay was decent, he took it up at a moment's notice.

Apart from that, he had also heard certain rumors about a certain guild being formed by the Magic Council. They were quite sketchy though, not mentioning where the guild was located or who the guild master was. However one thing was for certain, only the strongest of the strong were being offered a chance to join. It would be a great way to test how he fared against the rest and it also gave him a chance to have a stable income for now.

Gryndel was lost in his thoughts as he swam about in the ocean, but his thoughts were interrupted when he heard what sounded like an ominous fog horn resonating from below him. His eyes widened and a grin began to form across his face.

"It's here!" he thought excitedly as he caught sight of two bulbous yellow eyes glowing from deep down. As he swam further down, the Kraken's main body came into view. It was pink and fleshy, easily spanning 10 meters in length. It had eight sickly arms that were each armed with barbs and suckers as well as two gigantic tusks that grew near its mouth. Sensing Gryndel's approach, the Kraken roared out a challenge, sending forth four of its tentacles to intercept him.

"Child's Play," Gryndel though as a bright red magic circle appeared before his hands. "Iron sand!" he mentally called out, unleashing thin streaks of red lightning along the sea bed. The iron particles present within the seabed began to rise, rotating furiously as they streaked all around Gryndel. With a flick of his wrists, the iron sand shot out and slashed cleanly through the tentacles, dicing them into tiny parts.

The Kraken bellowed in pain at the lost of its arms, but still continued to send another wave of its arms towards Gryndel. Smirking, Gryndel waved his arms once more and cleaved the remainder of its eight arms, disarming it literally. Left completely open and defenseless, the Kraken roared and open up its mouth, creating a miniature vacuum as it tried to suck in Gryndel and devour him.

Even as Gryndel was spiraling out of control, having been dragged into the strong underwater current the Kraken was creating, there was no fear in his eyes. Instead, a happy smile was etched on his face, knowing that the Kraken had just signed its own death wish. Within a few inches of the Kraken, Gryndel removed his gloves, letting them spark as red lightning surged through his palms. The Kraken's eyes widened as it realized the significance of that action, trying to close its jaws in a last attempt to maintain distance but it was too late.

"Mjolnir Impact!" Gryndel cried out, ploughing his fist right in between the Kraken's eye sockets.

A bright red flash erupted from beneath the ocean. Seconds later, a mountain of water exploded, splashing several feet into the air before subsiding. As the water rained back down, it revealed a smirking Gryndel and a charred Kraken that was floating on the water surface.

"Well I guess I did go a tad overboard with that last spell," Gryndel laughed as he admired his handiwork. While he deemed it necessary to kill the Kraken, he chose that particular spell given its blast radius, hoping it would catch some attention. Maybe someone would see his awesomeness from afar and elect him into that mysterious guild that everyone was talking about.

"Yeah, I have to agree with you on that," a voice behind him called out. "Way too much firepower for a beast like this."

That made Gryndel jump slightly, assuming a battle stance as he turned around. He was definitely not expecting company so soon, especially since they were so far away from the harbor.

"Yo, the name's Vergil," Vergil greeted as he sat atop the Kraken's head. Behind him, Len was busy staring into the eyes of the dead creature while Mika was using her blade to cut up portions of it, tasting them. "What's yours?"

"Gryndel, the strongest lightning mage you'll find in these parts!" Gryndel declared arrogantly, his fists sparking slightly as if to make a point. Guess his gamble did pay off. "Do you belong to that mysterious guild that everyone is talking about?"

"As a matter a fact, I'm actually its guild master." Vergil chuckled, lifting up his hand to reveal his black guild mark. It was a hollow orb that had three sickle like appendages extending from it.

That made Gryndel frown a little. The man before him looked just a few years older than him and he was claiming to be the guild master? "You know, if you are pulling my leg, you are doing a terrible job at it."

"I'm being very serious here," replied Vergil, the smile never leaving his face. "I really am the Guild Master of Abyss Fang."

"If that's the case, I must say I'm kinda disappointed." Gryndel shrugged. "I was expecting someone a lot more powerful and older. If you really are the Guild Master, I'm guessing that your guild must be pretty weak."

"Maybe, but I'm pretty sure I just snuck up on you without you noticing." Vergil laughed.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean," Gryndel growled. "Are you insinuating that I am weaker than you?" Lightning began to course through his entire body, creating a bright red aura around him as he prepared to strike out at Vergil for belittling him.

"I don't know," Vergil shrugged. "Maybe you would find out if you join us."

"Fine!" growled Gryndel. He didn't see why not. If the guild was really as weak as he thought it to be he could always leave, after beating this arrogant punk to a pulp. If otherwise, he could very well be one of the few to join a guild of powerful mages.

"Great, then I'll see you in Vistarion at the end of the month eh," Vergil concluded as he got up from his spot. With a swing of Rebbie, he opened up a portal and walked through it along with Len and Mika, waving goodbye as he did so. And with that, he vanished.

"What?" Gryndel blinked. He could have at least told him how to get to Vistarion. All the more he was going to sock him in the face if this guild of his was anything less than expected.

 **Blackrattler Pass**

"I'm telling you, it's real Sis. There really exists such a guild out there. It's being told in the bars, the schools and even by passing travelers." A young voice squealed over the communications lacrima, causing the recipient to rub her nose bridge in frustration.

"Floretta, these are only rumors. You shouldn't believe anything that people say." The other female replied, trying to sound as nice as possible. She was getting a tad annoyed though, her sister calling every few days to tell her about some mysterious guild that was currently recruiting members.

"But Aspen, think about it." Floretta whined slightly. "If it really is true, you don't have to work as a mercenary anymore. You can hold a proper job and take care of us both without having to risk your life so much anymore."

"It doesn't work that way Floretta," Aspen sighed inwardly. "Look, I have to go now. I have a job on hand. I'll call you back when it's done ok?" she said warmly.

"Ok, bye bye sis," Floretta replied, waving her hand goodbye as the holographic image on the lacrima disappeared. Aspen then tossed the lacrima into her bag pack, afraid it would get in the way of her latest job. She had a plaintive kind of face without many striking features. Her nose, chin, and cheeks were all subtly defined and slightly sharp when one looked close enough. Her shoulder length dark ash brown hair was mostly tied up neatly and she had almond shaped eyes with light definition and auburn colored irises. She stood at 5'6 with a lithe, slightly tanned figure that had good proportions and flexible limbs. She currently wore a dark blue shirt underneath a long light brown coat and brown trousers, with a pair of running shoes to finish. Currently obscured from view was also a thin scar on her abdomen that starts around her middle and curves down to her hip.

As much as Aspen would deny it, Floretta was right. While being a mercenary was profitable, it also contained many unforeseen dangers. Over the past 3 years or so, she had taken out countless of people, most of which were complete strangers who had done nothing to her. This made her conscience waver at times, the burden on her heart growing with each additional mission she took. Then there were those that bore grudges and struck back. While Aspen wasn't scared of retribution, deep down she feared for her sister's safety. It was very likely that Floretta would become a target for her actions and that unnerved her. The last thing she wanted was her sister to get involved in her business but if she stopped, so did the cash flow that kept their lives going.

That certainly wouldn't do.

"What a pain in the ass," Aspen frowned. Truth be told, she too was getting tired of sleeping with a dagger next to her, weary of enemies that never seemed to come. If only what Floretta said was true, about there being a guild that was willing to take in members from all walks of life. No more hiding and living in fear, leading a normal life like any other person. Too bad that it was all rumors.

While Aspen was still caught up in her thoughts, she vaguely saw something dart from atop one of the boulders and into the ravine. That snapped her back to reality, remembering the job she was currently tasked with. Someone had sent her a request a few days back, to eliminate a Machias that was terrorizing a village. She was initially skeptical about it, believing that all the Machias were exterminated half a decade ago but then again, the reward was too alluring to refuse. No harm checking it out right?

Moving quickly, she treaded lightly across the sandy terrain to avoid making any obvious noises, keeping an eye on her target while she was at it. Years of training with her mentor and on the field have made her a very efficient hunter, stalking people silently without being noticed. After a short 5 minutes, she watched from behind a bush as the Machias stopped next to a river, bending over as though to get a drink.

"Don't think too badly of me for this," Aspen whispered to no one in particular, a blue magic circle already forming at her outstretched palms. "It's just business."

"Glacier Lock," she uttered silently. Instantly, water from the river surged towards the Machias, enveloping it completely before freezing over to form an icy prison around her target.

"Mission complete," she smiled, emerging from her cover to approach her quarry. That was way too easy. She was expecting the Machias to put up much more of a fight.

"Well, time to ship this back to the client and get paid," she chirped as she admired her own handiwork. Though what happened next indicated that none of that was happening.

"Nice try woman, but not all of us are just resistant to Thunder Magic," a hollow laughter erupted from within the ice prison, setting Aspen's alarms bells ringing as she darted back immediately. Just in time too, as the ice was blown apart, revealing a very wet and pissed Len. Len looked slightly different from before though. His chest was currently wide open, revealing streams of boiling hot metal loops and several pistons extended from his back, billowing out black steam. His right arm had morphed into a buzz saw that was glowing hot whereas his left was a dual barreled flamethrower

"Have to give it to you too, you know," Len chuckled as he deactivated his transformations, spewing black smoke from his mouth as he spoke. "You were difficult to pinpoint all this time so I had no choice but to stand still and force your hand."

"Well thank you for the complement but it still doesn't change the fact that I'm going to be bringing you in." Aspen growled as she back flipped onto a rock, this time a red magic circle appearing instead.

"Firecracker!' she yelled as began condensing heat magic into small beads, scattering them towards Len. Due to their small size, most of the beads were stuck onto Len's body while the rest covered the ground surrounding him. Just as Aspen was about to detonate them, Len spoke up, causing her to pause momentarily and that was all the time needed for Len to do deactivate them.

"Nice try, but you're way over your pay grade missy." With that, the screws on Len's body sank into his body, revealing small nozzles. An instant later, ice cold liquid nitrogen sprayed all around him and on his body, freezing each of the beads and sapping it completely of any heat.

"Shit!" Aspen cursed when she realized she could not detonate them. Before she could cast another spell though, Len was on her like white on rice, his right arm forming bladed fingers. Instinctively, she drew her dagger, preparing for the worse. Judging from the speed he was leaping and distance covered, she was sure she could pierce an organ without sustaining serious harm to herself. All she needed was to time her strike.

"Len, that's enough," she suddenly heard a voice cry out.

Len immediately stopped in his tracks, the bladed fingers inches from her face. Likewise, Aspen's dagger was also inches from his left lung. That was way too close.

"Oh come on Vergil, I barely had any fun." Len complained, causing Aspen's eyes to widen as she heard the familiar name.

"Vergil?" she asked in disbelief, whipping her head to a side as she recognized the other mage. "What in blazes are you doing here?"

"Yo Aspen, it's been a while." Vergil smiled as he beckoned for Len to stand down.

"What is the meaning of this? Are you here to steal my job again?" Aspen growled. The two had met on multiple occasions as fellow mercenaries. By luck would have it, they sometimes shared the same target and each time they did, Vergil always beat her to it.

"Actually no," he laughed. "I'm the one that issued the request this time." That caused Aspen's eyes to widen in surprise and disbelief. "Because I know if I asked to meet, you definitely wouldn't turn up."

"No shit Sherlock," Aspen snorted, "Not with you stealing my pay checks each time. State your business."

"I want you to join my guild," Vergil stated, getting straight to the point. "I need talents like you."

"Why should I?" Aspen retorted. "What's in it for me?"

"Food, shelter and a stable income." Vergil elaborated. "Above all, you are guaranteed protection from anyone who tries to harm you and your family."

That last part resonated particularly with Aspen. If she did join, Floretta could be safe. That was her main priority now anyways. After all, she was getting a bit sick of doing merc jobs either way.

"Fine with me." Aspen eventually said, causing the smile on Vergil's face to grow even bigger. "But I want a rematch with metal head here after that. I hate leaving fights unsettled."

"It's all good with me." Len grinned, cracking his knuckles as he looked forward to settling their match.

"Well then, I'll see you in Vistarion at the end of the month." Vergil said, placing his hands on his hips. "Be there or be square."

 **Kongo Plains**

"Well I guess that's it for the day eh?" Len smirked as he propped his legs up against the table. "We've got quite a haul thanks to that portal dropping weapon of yours."

"Ahhhh…" Mika moaned, the smile on her face glowing brightly. She too was glad that they managed to recruit this many people thus far.

"Well, I would prefer to have at least one more to end the day," Vergil wondered out loud as he went through the numbers on his hands. They had been warping about the country for some time now and they had witnessed many different mages. Among them were those who were loners, headstrong, arrogant and also complete assholes. The way things were turning, he was going to have some problems taming them.

While Vergil did not mention it, he was actually pretty low on magic reserves currently. Opening portals every few minutes was no easy feat, even for him. Especially when his weapon of choice was a literal bloodsucker preying on his mana reserves. Even so he knew he had to keep going. Not everyone they encountered was offered a choice to join given the strict criteria he had for joining, which made it all the more reason to seek out a larger group of people.

That being said, it was time to eat. Even mages had to rest some time. The trio was currently at the Kongo Plains' only restaurant, Syrup Rose, catching a breather from their travelling. The Kongo plains were literally a wide stretch of grass fields that spanned the central region of Alvarez, having only a single dirt road that connected it between Badgerpaw Town and the Skulltooth Mountains. It was a common route used by travelers and hence made a lot of sense to set up a restaurant there. While it did classify as a restaurant, Syrup Rose specialized more in making sweets and desserts, hence its tasty-sounding name.

"May I take your order please?" a young waitress dressed in pink asked.

"I'll have the Spaghetti with beef balls," Vergil called out.

"Fish and Chips for me," Len added.

Mika simply just pointed at the strawberry shortcake in the menu, smiling excitedly.

"Order up!" the waitress cheered as she proceeded to the kitchen.

A few minutes later, all their food was served and the mages dug in, eager to fill their hungry bellies. However, even that was interrupted.

"Oh look what a hot chick we have here guys!" a voice laughed from behind the trio. Vergil looked up slightly, noticing a group of 5 males in biker jackets and afros approaching their table. Sensing no magic power from them, Vergil decided to give it a rest. They just weren't the effort.

"Hey beautiful, why don't you go out with us instead." Another one of them spoke up, his face pressing surprisingly close to Mika.

"Yeah, we'll definitely make sure you have a fun time," One of them had taken the liberty to actually stroke Mika's left palm while the other had started sniffing Mika's hair, his face a look of complete bliss.

Unfortunately for either of them, Mika ignored them completely. She was still fixated on eating her strawberry shortcake, her face emanating a bright smile as she enjoyed her dessert.

"Damn it bitch! Look here instead!" the first male yelled, frustrated that their attempts and flirting were going nowhere. He then proceeded to swipe his hand across the table, knocking over Mika's cake and spilling it all over the floor.

"Ahhhhh!" Mika moaned, her eyes all watery as she watched her dessert vanish from her grip. As if to add insult to injury, the men stomped on what was left of the cake.

"Oh they've done goof," Len cackled under his breath.

"That's a cute moan you made there. Care to repeat that again in…" One of the men started but was instantly cut off when Mika's fist grabbed his skull and pounded him into the earth, one blow raining after another like a systematic process. When she was done, the man's neck was completely bent in, blood staining the earth around his body.

"Ahhhhh…" Mika now snarled, her eyes glinting with immense killer intent. She turned away from what was left of the man and began to turn her attention on the rest of his crew.

"Oh shit! Let her have…" another one of them panicked, trying to issue orders but once again he was cut off when Mika charged forth and spun his neck around with her bare hands. The other three instantly freaked out, sweating furiously as they watched yet another one of their comrades get slaughtered.

"SHIT! DON"T COME ANY CLOSER!" One of them shouted, pulling out a dagger and pressing it against a nearby customer. Said female was in the midst of eating a parfait when she felt a blade press against her jugular, stopping her from continuing her meal. Against such a threat, any normal person would have cried out for help but not her. Instead, she let a white magic circle form at her fingertips and spoke in a rather annoyed voice.

"You guys are disturbing my meal." With that, all three men were encased in pale crystals, unable to neither move nor speak. Seeing her chance, Mika leapt forward and swung a powerful roundhouse kick, shattering the top half of the crystals and their encased bodies in the process.

"Ahhhh!" Mika groaned in satisfaction, elated that she had avenged her cake. She then turned around, letting out yet another moan at the female who had assisted her. Said female was now looking at Mika in admiration, utterly surprised at the brute force she had behind her strikes despite her figure. The female had an oval face with mid-back length midnight blue soft wavy hair in a one sided left sweep and large doe violet eyes. She stood at about 5'2, having an Alabaster skin tone and a lithe figure with slight curves. At her collarbone, she sported a 5 black sakura petals tattoo. She was currently wearing a dark grey shirt and black shorts, accompanied by black see through leggings that had black leather straps around the knees and black combat boots. To finish off the outfit was a long grey hooded cardigan and an amethyst shard choker.

"That was so cool!" she remarked, grabbing Mika's hands. "How did you do that?" Mika blushed at the close contact, giggling slightly as the girl bombarded her with questions.

"Now, now calm down," Vergil started as she addressed the female mage. "Mika here has some problems speaking so it would be best if we answered for her."

"Oh, where are my manners. My name's Bella. Nice to meet all of you!" Bella chirped excitedly as she greeted Vergil and Len. The duo then proceeded to introduce themselves as well.

"So are you guys mages? Cause you all look very strong." Bella asked elatedly, bouncing about in her seat like a puppy.

"Yeah we are," Vergil replied smiling. "We are actually part of a guild called Abyss Fang and we are currently seeking members. From what I saw just now, you seem to have quite a good control over your crystal magic. So would you like to join us? I could help you out with it some more."

"Really, that would be great!" Bella cheered. "Count me in!"

That got everyone laughing, in particularly Vergil. At least he fulfilled his final objective of the day.

 **Author's Note**

 **Gryndel Astaroth – Death Obelisk**

 **Aspen Weathercroft – lacrimanightingale**

 **Bella Aima – Written whim**

Ok this author's note will be particularly short. All I want to say is thanks for the support everyone so far and please do send in more OCs cause slots are still open and I need a lot more of them. Till next time guys!


	3. Lost Magics and Relic wielders

**Wolf's Valley, South-West of Koitail Village**

"Hey wretch! Didn't I say hand over your cards?" a gruff voice called out. The owner of the voice was a middle-aged man who was wearing a brown explorer's jacket and pants. In his hand was an iron lasso and at the back of it came the guild mark of a local treasure hunter guild, Gold Spree. "You're too young to be using such things and to be called a mage. You had better hand them over to me before things get real ugly." He barked.

The target of his verbal abuse was a young woman by the name of Grace Olympia. She stood at 5'6 with long athletic legs, delicate but strong shoulders and an hourglass figure with c-cup busts. She had a soft creamy complexion and her face was heart shaped with fine features. Her silky, slightly wavy red hair reached to her mid-back and was tied in a left-side ponytail. The tips were curled and dyed black as well as her bangs that covered her eyes which were almond-shaped with deep, forest green orbs. There was a golden nose-stud piercing on the left side of her nose that caught the bright rays of the morning sun and a tattoo of a black rose on her collarbone. Said female was wearing a plain red tank top under a black mini-leather jacket. The jacket had golden studs running vertical down the sleeves ending at the elbows and golden chains placed in zigzags on the back. Her black jeans were ripped and she also wore black biker boots with golden chains instead of bootlaces. As for her accessories, they consisted of a golden studded red belt with a black card holder attached to it, red fingerless gloves and a golden chained necklace with a rose-shaped ruby charm.

"Will you give it a rest already old man?" Grace grumbled in exasperation more than annoyance. "I already told you that these cards won't work on anybody except those contracted to them." The man had been following her for almost an hour already, thinking he was being sneaky and all by hiding in trees and bushes. Though Grace would hardly call it sneaky when she heard the rustling of leaves although there was no wind. So when she called him out, the man had resorted to demanding instead.

"Heh, it doesn't matter. I have no need for such a magic anyway, though I desire the money that comes from selling it." The man snorted. "I know a lost magic when I see one and I'm pretty sure it'll pay a shiny penny in the black market."

"Like I said, I'm not handing them over!" Grace snarled. "Even if I did, it wouldn't be to a coward like you! Who the hell demands things from other anyway? If you were a real man you would have just attacked me straight instead of hiding and stalking me like a pervert!"

"Why you insolent brat!" the man growled, his face beet red with embarrassment as each of Grace's insults hit home. "That's it, no more Mister Nice Guy! If you want a fight, you got one!" With that, he struck a battle pose, swinging the lasso about as he tried to confuse Grace.

"Pathetic," Grace muttered under her breath. She then raised her left hand, a Golden magic circle that had an eight pointed star with tribal designs appearing in front of it as she summoned forth a Gold card.

"This will put him in his place." She thought to herself, preparing to throw the card at a moment's instance.

Too bad, someone took care of that for her.

"Look out below!" she heard a voice scream from the sky above her and before either of them could turn up, a figure came crashing down onto the man, kicking up a large dust cloud.

When the dust settled, there was Len and Mika lying on top of the man, knocking him completely unconscious. Both were rubbing their sore bottoms, coughing as they tried to get the dust out of their throats.

"Dammit Mika," Len coughed. "Don't ever do this again."

Mika just simply moaned, pouting with her nose high up in the air. Seconds later, Vergil dropped next to them, dusting off his cloak.

"What do you think you're doing?" Grace finally got out, her mind still whirling from the sudden change in events.

"Saving someone." Vergil replied simply, as he picked himself up and walked towards Grace.

"I don't need saving from anyone," she retorted, a scowl etched on her face. "I'm more than capable of taking care of myself."

"Oh no, I didn't mean you." Vergil corrected. "I meant him," he pointed to the treasure hunter that was twitching slightly beneath Len's rum. "Judging from the card in your hand, things probably weren't going to end as well as what just happened."

"Tch!" Grace grumbled. Just as she was about to lower her hand, her card suddenly flew out of her hand and headed straight towards Vergil. When it was within distance, Vergil snagged it out of the air, observing it intently.

"Hey what the hell!" she yelled, her eyes wide with disbelief and worry at what just happened. That was something new, her cards leaving her for someone else instead. Feeling threatened, Grace drew a silver katana that was currently tied to her back. She was about to leap out and slash Vergil when the words that left his mouth caught her by surprise once more.

"That's rare." Vergil remarked as he inspected the card. "Legendarium if I recall. Haven't seen this in a while."

"Wait, did you know my mother?" Grace uttered, her tone a lot less harsh as compared to a few seconds ago. Her mother was the only Legendarium Mage in Fiore and the magic itself was so obscured that only those who have crossed paths with her would know of it.

"Can't say I do," Vergil replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Though I know that you're definitely going to love this." Using his free hand, he reached into his backpack and withdrew something out of it. In a swift motion, he threw it and her card back at Grace which she caught instinctively. That was when her eyes widened once more as she recognized the object.

"This…This is the Gold Card holding the Olympian Ares!" she stuttered excitedly as she held up an identical card. 'How did you get this?"

"Call it a trade secret," Vergil smirked, bringing a finger up to his lips. "Though I'll be more than happy to tell you if you're willing to join us."

Grace just stood still, not sure what to make of the deal. Everything was happening way too fast for her to comprehend at the moment. Vergil's question was literally the last thing she was thinking of right now.

Seeing that he wasn't going to get an answer any time soon, Vergil added. "When you do make up your mind, head to Vistarion by the end of the month. I'll be expecting you."

With that, he proceeded to open another portal, leaving Grace alone to ponder over the offer.

 **Dacytl Tropics, 5 miles from Blood Halo outpost**

"This is going to take a while," Vergil yawned, allowing himself to fall backwards into what seemed like eternal darkness. His fall was cut short though, his body seemingly floating about the shadows. From his position within the portal, he had a clear view of the swamp below him as well as the lush greenery that surrounded it. He had currently sent Len and Mika off on scouting duty, agreeing to pick them up an hour later. This mission was one that he had to do on his own, at least for the moment given how dangerous this particular individual was. If done right, they would have another powerful comrade in arms but should negotiations fail, Vergil was sure to eliminate her on the spot.

It started when news spread around after 'Bloody Fist' Tyson was slaughtered that someone else-someone much better than the amateur Halo member Tyson-had been turned into a creepy walking dead who walked through one of the Bloody Halo's outposts, freaking out half the members present. In response, Bloody Halo had put a bounty on the person's head so large that it caught the attention of most mercenaries, including Vergil.

Deciding to play along, Vergil had chosen to use a false name to take up the job, alongside seven others who he knew were just suicidal based on lack of experience and magic power. Within days of which the bounty was issued, all seven had died, turned into the same corpse puppets as that Bloody Halo member. They all seemed to be headed somewhere, given the trail of bodies and so Vergil decided to scout even further ahead for any potential locations. That eventually led him to the Dactyl Tropics, a place that was in close proximity to yet another Bloody halo outpost.

"Assuming Bloody Halo got the message about the majority of their mercenaries being slaughtered, I'm pretty sure they will make a move soon," Vergil spoke out loud as he continued his observation of the area. They weren't ones to wait about and be humiliated like this. Now it was only a matter of time before both parties showed up.

Minutes later, Vergil spotted her. The one responsible for all the killings. Said female stood at 5'7, having a well-proportioned body, defined facial features and lines. Her short pink hair framed her face and her eyes were almond shape, their color that of the night sky: deep and yet mysterious. She was slightly tanned and wore no glaring accessories as far as Vergil could see. She was currently dressed in a dark blue bomber that was worn over a purple singlet, a blue miniskirt and a pair of purple leather boots. While she did not look like much, Vergil could feel the slight killing intent she was emanating already, something that exceeded someone her age who he guessed was in her mid teens. He watched as she summoned a deep purple card out of thin air, swiping it at the ground before it gradually dissolved into a wisp of purple smoke.

"A trap huh?" Vergil wondered, "Would make sense if she was up against a larger group of people. Probably explains how she managed to down the mercs as well."

Just mere seconds after she did this, from the other end of the mangrove came a party of Bloody Halo mages, recognizable from their shredded red cloaks. She seemed to sense them as well, quickly darting into a nearby tree to keep watch. Both watched as the group easily moved through the swampy ground and the outcrop terrain, quickly arriving at the open field which she had set her trap.

"Hey! What's the piece of dung I just stepped on?" The one on the far right yelled, lifting his foot. Another member glanced at him, "Idiot! Shut the hell…"

Before he could finish his sentence, an eerie whooshing sound filled the air as a blanket of purplish shadow mixed with lightning flowed out of the ground, going up to the team's ankles before disappearing.

"What the hell was that?"

"Your downfall." The girl whispered. Her voice was soft, gentle even, but like the early winds of winter, it crept under the skins of the entire team.

"You're the one who killed Jack Knight, aren't you?" One of the mages whimpered, his face contorted with fear.

"Was that his name? Shame...such a good name."

"Cut the crap! What did you do to us?!" Another member yelled.

"You will die very horribly if you keep speaking like that to me." Her voice hardened a fraction.

"Well screw this! Enough talk, get her!" The member standing nearest to the edge of the swamp yelled, presumably the leader. On his command, all the mages fired bolts of elemental magic and the leader blasted wildly with a lacrima rifle.

"Amateurs…" Vergil frowned. From the way they were shooting, it was clearly obvious that they had zero combat experience. He had already counted at least 6 openings with their attacks and he predicted that the girl beneath him would have also noticed that.

She managed to dodge every last one of them as per Vergil's expectations but even so, he couldn't help but let out a low whistle. This girl really knew what she was doing.

With a toe-punt, the girl sailed back a few feet. "A challenge? I accept. On the condition you keep it interesting."

"Necro Reverse!" she whispered. Purple mist swirled around her even as the men backed away. "Now! Come forth, nameless demon of purple death who wanders the realm of the dead! Necromancer Mumei!"

From behind her, a large indigo magic circle appeared and from within it crawled out a being that resembled a chimera. A real ugly, bile inducing creature of nature that would even make a chimera squeal. It had a skeletal upper body that was connected to the tail of a snake, bat wings extending from the skeleton's back. A violet ommyouji's cloak was draped over the creature's body and head, making it's appearance all the more savage and fear inducing.

"Mumei! Attack!" she commanded with a wave of her hand.

Mumei lashed out with its claws, the bony pointy tips sinking into its target's head. Purple smoke rose from the holes as the man fell convulsing to the ground, quite dead. Another bony hand thrust out toward two others and a mist came out of the sleeve, making them stumble. Mumei turned to the third and raised his now free hand, dripping with blood. The blood was sucked into a whirl of energy as Mumei blasted the man back and then finished him off with a claw to the head. The last man turned to run, only to find Mumei's tail protruding through his chest, his beating heart still attached to the tip as his lifeless body collapsed.

When the deed was done, the whole place resembled a slaughter house with carved corpses and blood splattered everywhere. Yet the girls just stood around as though this was a normal thing, wiping her hands clean with a piece of cloth.

"Well, guess it's my turn now," Vergil remarked as he leapt out of the portal, landing right in the trap field just a few meters behind the girl.

"Funny, I was sure I got everyone," the girl uttered coldly without even turning around.

"Well you did," Vergil smiled. "I'm not with them. I'm actually from…"

"Doesn't matter," she cut him off. "You'll be dead soon anyway. Mumei." Obeying her commands, the skeletal monstrosity rushed towards Vergil, claws outstretched as it prepared to tear him in half.

"Well, I was really hoping to avoid this," Vergil sighed, his eyes closed despite Mumei's claws inches from his head. The last applicant he did this to took his chances off the cliff. He sure hoped that it wasn't going to happen again.

When his eyes did open again, gone was the joyful and carefree look that were within them, replaced with nothing but void emptiness. Though one could hardly call it that, especially after hearing the killing intent in his voice.

"Begone," he whispered coldly.

Mumei howled in fear, its eyes actually trembling as it backed off. What followed next was beyond anyone's explanation. As though an invisible wave had been emitted from Vergil's body, Mumei and the trap field both burst into magic particles, dissipating into thin air.

"What did you do," the girl whispered, the shock and fear clearly audible. "Why weren't you affected by Mumei's revenge when you destroyed him?"

"That's simple," Vergil smirked, his playful attitude returning. "I didn't destroy him. Now back to the subject at hand. I'm from a guild called Abyss Fang and we are currently recruiting members. After assessing your abilities, I think you would make a fine addition."

"I don't want to." She replied simply, preparing to leave already. "I have no need for such a thing like friends."

"Do reconsider though," Vergil laughed despite her walking away in the opposite direction. "Accommodations and food are all accounted for you know."

That last line made her stop momentarily. "Chocolate Pudding," she muttered.

"Huh?"

"Do you serve chocolate pudding?" she asked louder this round.

"Well, I guess we should." Vergil shrugged, not understanding the significance of that question. If anything, it sounded like a craving more than anything else.

"I'll think about it then," she replied simply once more before darting into the swamps, completely out of sight in a matter of seconds.

"I guess I'll see you at Vistarion at the end of the month then!" Vergil yelled after her, hoping that she did catch his message. She was a weird one alright but that made Vergil heave a sigh of relief.

At least he did not have to stain his hands with the blood of yet another young mage.

 **Acalypha Town**

"Welcome," a cheery voice called out as the door to her shop swung open, ringing the golden bell that was attached to it. The owner of that voice was a petite young woman who stood at 5'1, having an hour glass body with slightly broader hips. She had a soft and oval face that went well with her straight and platinum blond hair that was tied into two Dutch braids that rested on her shoulders. Her eyes were upturned in a shade of Prussian blue and her skin tone was fair and peachy. She was wearing a good conditioned halterneck that was divided into two colors with a zigzag border, snow white on the top and night black at the bottom. On the middle of her shirt was a pentagram with a crimson colored segment. For the bottom she wore a powder, blue knee length, wide swing, and felt skirt. Despite her feminine looking attire so far, she also wore leather Blucher shoes. Currently obscured from view though was a tattoo on both of her hands which took the form of thin red linings that started from the shoulders and extended to the top of her fingertips.

"Errr, Hi there…" Len growled slightly, a failed attempt at trying to sound gentle and nice. To make matters worse, he tried to smile which only ended up as a half snarl and half scowl given the positioning of his jaw guard. He was currently visiting a local clothes shop that was rather well known within the Town. According to Vergil, there was slayer that stayed there and she looked rather promising for recruitment.

"Hi…I'm Altar…" Altar meekly called out, slightly intimidated by Len's appearance. "Can I…help you with something…"

"Errrr, yeah. Can I take a look around the place," Len drawled, desperately trying to find a way to keep the conversation going.

"Sure…" Altar replied, though her tone sounded slightly darker this round and her eyes narrowed slightly. This man seemed strange but in a bad way. He wasn't here to try and wreck the shop was he? Altar decided to keep her eye on him for now, lest he tried something stupid.

Meanwhile Len was having a minor panic attack as he desperately tried to recall everything that Vergil had mentioned. He wasn't really one to do the talking, leave that to Vergil. He was more of a smash and dash kind of guy and yet here he was, under orders to help convince the slayer to show herself and join them.

"Why me?" he remembered protesting.

"Well for one, I will be away for a while on another job and for two, Mika can't speak." Vergil deadpanned. "So until I get back, you're gonna help with the recruitment."

"Great, I really hate him sometimes…" Len grumbled under his breath, much to the annoyance of Altar who was in the midst of giving a tour of the shop. Evidently, Len was not listening.

"And here we have the dressing room," she spoke bluntly, her displeasure and discomfort radiating from her tone. There was really something wrong with this guy and she felt very uncomfortable being just next to him. Not that he had done anything bad so far, but she knew it was only a matter of time before it happened.

"Damn, this place sure is cramped," Len complained as he strained to fit himself through the tight hallways which were shorter and thinner than usual. Why the hell did this place have to be so cramped anyways? As he neared the end of the hallway, he actually found himself stuck in the doorframe. Groaning, Len tugged slightly but that resulted in the door frame being ripped off its structure, and Len crashing into a pile on mannequins. The mannequins proceeded to fall like a stack of dominos, resonating with a loud crash as they knocked over layers off fabric and wooden crates also.

"Oops, my bad." Len smiled sheepishly as he dusted himself. Although it was clearly an accident, it was the slip up that Altar was looking for. The perfect excuse to justify her fears.

"THAT'S IT! I KNEW YOU WERE HERE TO WRECK THE SHOP!" she yelled, anger literally radiating off her entire figure.

"Huh? What?" Len croaked, dumbfounded at the sudden turn of events. He was just about to explain himself when suddenly ten sets of strings shot forth from Altar's hands, binding and tightening around his neck, limiting his breathing and movement.

"Leave now," Altar hissed "Or I will break your neck." While the threat still stood, Len didn't really look concerned. Instead he looked rather relieved that he had found his objective.

"You know, this is some fine quality thread you have. Add that to the fact that you're a slayer, I don't seem to see why you will want to remain in a shop like this, limiting your abilities." Len probed, honestly curious as to Altar's choice and actions.

"I have no choice in this," she retorted. "This is my mother's shop and I am responsible for producing clothing specially tailored for my customers. If I'm gone, who will do it for me?"

Len just sighed once he recognized her problem. She was tied down to her past and the responsibilities entrusted to her, so she lacked the independence to do anything else of her choice. A long time ago, he too was like her. Having been the only survivor of his race, his father demanded that he took revenge for them no matter the cost. That had been his drive for a while but after the endless slaughter and destruction, he still felt very hollow within. It wasn't really what he wanted but instead the will of a ghost from his past.

And that was exactly what he needed to free Altar from right now.

"Hey," he started. "Don't you have a free will of your own?"

"What?"

"You heard me. Is this really what you want? To be confined to the options that your mother and the community left you?"

"No…Not really," Altar whispered, a tinge of regret and sadness audible from her voice. She knew very well that wasn't what her mother would have wanted but she felt like she had a duty to uphold her legacy. She wanted more than anything to live a free life unburdened by people's opinions, to be creative in the clothes she made and the songs she sang. "What should I do then?"

"You could join us," Len grinned, causing Altar's face to brighten up slightly. "We are mages and we all live our lives to the fullest. Every decision made is ours and ours only. No one can force us to do something that we refuse to do."

"Really?"

"Yeah. All you have to do is take a step forward from your comfort zone and I guarantee you, you'll never regret this. So will you join us?"

Altar grew silent for a while, Len's words sinking deep into her mind. She knew that she would probably disappoint her mother by doing so but now that she thought about it, this could be the outcome that her mother really wanted. She taught her this power not to hide within the shop and protect it, but rather to defend herself when she did enter the outside world.

"So?" Len probed once more.

"I accept, I want to join your guild!" Altar replied happily, having made her first independent decision in a long while.

"Great!" Len smiled, though his face was gradually starting to turn blue. "Now if you don't mind, please release me. I think I'm going to faint."

 **Acalypha Town, Town Centre**

"Awwwwwww!" Mika groaned in boredom, swaying her legs to and fro as she sat atop the stone fountain that was located in the centre of the town. Her groans drew the attention of many passer-bys but she quickly chased them away with a glare or two. Len was gone for way too long already and it was reaching noon soon.

"Muaaaaaa," she winced as she felt her tummy grumble in hunger. She hadn't eaten anything since last night and was seriously starving right now. She really wanted to just leave, find the nearest restaurant and chow down but Len had asked her to stay put till he returned, lest he could not find her. Acalypha Town was by no means small, making it easy for one to get lost around here.

"Maybe I'll wait for 10 more minutes," Mika thought to herself but her stomach protested once more, growling loud enough to scare the pigeons that were currently drinking water at the fountain. Mika blushed slightly in embarrassment and was forced to make a decision on the spot.

Oh well, I'll be back before he even notices." She thought to herself. With that she leapt off the fountain and began traversing into the business district in search of a restaurant. Little did she know that, a certain brown pouch fell out from her pocket and was left behind at the fountain.

Minutes later, Mika was seated at one of the pushiest restaurants in the town. She excitedly pointed to almost everything on the menu, flailing wildly as she signaled and hooted for the waitress to bring her the food quickly. Miraculously, her serious of hoots and clicks seemed to get through to her, though she left the table albeit shaken and quivering.

As soon as each plate arrived, Mika shoved the contents straight into her mouth, savoring the combination of flavors and spices that flooded her taste buds. Sometimes she didn't even bother to chew, letting it simply slide down her throat and into her guts. Whenever she felt like she would choke, she would swipe a glass of iced water from a passing waiter or waitress, downing it in a single shot as well. The way she ate repulsed most of the other guests, causing them to either rush out of the restaurant or hurl on the spot.

"Ahhhhhhhh," Mika exclaimed in relief as she let out a series of burps while patting her belly. That really hit the spot. A quick glance at the clock on the wall indicated that only 20 minutes had passed since she left. She was pretty sure Len still hadn't found his way back yet, which meant everything was going just as she had planned. With that in mind, she called for the bill.

"Here you go Miss," the waitress presented shakily. Mika took a glance at the figures and felt like hurling herself. Looks like she overdid it this time. She was pretty sure she could still afford it with the pouch of gold coins Vergil had left her, though there probably wouldn't be much left after payment.

"Ahhhh?" she groaned in surprise as she reached to her back pocket. The pouch, it's gone! That set Mika into a frantic mess as she desperately combed her body for the pouch. She even checked the table, the chairs and the flower pot on it but to no avail. Her money pouch was still nowhere to be seen. As the scene dragged on, the waitress' face gradually changed into one of annoyance, having pieced the scenario together.

"Please don't tell me you have no money," she growled to which Mika shook her head violently, holding her hands up in the air in protest. "Look, if you can't pay, I'm afraid I have to call the authorities."

That made Mika shakes her head frantically once more. The last thing she needed was to cause any more trouble for Vergil. Besides, if they found out about this, they would never let her roam alone again.

Just as Mika was at her wits end about what to do, a kind voice spoke up from behind her. "It's ok. I'll pay for her."

Mika turned around to see a male standing right behind her. Said male stood at 6'6 and had a very muscular build and this, along with his tall stature, made him look very intimidating. He had an angular, long face with a long, thin nose, a large mouth and narrowed eyes that were a deep blue in color but appear teal under the restaurant lighting. One of them was currently obscured by a black eye patch that had the kanji for wind inscribed on it. His skin tone was rather pale and he had chrome colored hair that was shoulder length long, but was currently spiked up. The male was currently smiling, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth and sharp canines. He was wearing a grey colored top with an upturned collar and long sleeves, accompanied by long black pants with white stripes and a set of combat boots. Over this was an embodied silver mantle that had a gleaming cross over his heart.

The male then proceeded to toss over a bundle of gold coins to the waitress. After carefully counting the amount, the waitress affirmed that it was correct, bowing slightly before leaving.

"Waaaa," Mika groaned in thanks, bowing her head as she greeted her savior who proceeded to take a seat at the same table as her.

"Errrr ok," The man sweat dropped, not understanding what Mika just said. "Just be more careful from now on ok. My name's Vritra. You?"

"Miiiiiaaaaccccccaaaa!" Mika wailed, causing Vritra's face to pale a little. When Mika realized what just happened, her face blushed a deep red.

"Arrrrgggghhhh dammit! I forgot I can't speak!" she yelled at herself internally. "Now he must be thinking I'm some kind of freak or animal!" As the thoughts of self blame continued to flow through her head, Mika started to smash her head on the table to let off some steam as well as the embarrassment.

"Oi, are you alright!" Vritra asked concerned as he watched Mika bash her head repeatedly. "Stop that or you're gonna hurt yourself." He then reached out to grab Mika's shoulder but that was when something weird occurred.

A thin black spark seemed to appear out of thin air between the two of them. As soon as Vritra made contact with Mika, it proceeded to shock both of them. Vritra instinctively withdrew his hand while Mika shot back up in her seat. While it did not deal any serious damage to either party, both knew very well what the significance of that occurrence was.

"He/she is a wielder of Solomon's Relics." Both of them thought to themselves instantly.

"Is that why you are acting like this?" Vritra asked once more, knowing very well what the price to pay for using one of these accursed weapons.

Mika nodded her head slightly before grabbing a nearby menu and pen. She then carefully circled out a few letter in it before presenting it to Vritra, using the pen to guide him.

"Your voice," Vritra read out as he followed Mika's message, causing the girl to nod her head. "That must be hard on you. Not being able to speak and all."

Mika nodded again sadly, her eyes slightly downcast as she recalled the day when it was taken from her. She was so upset about it that she completely shut herself off from any human interaction for almost two years. It was only with the arrival of Vergil did she regain her confidence to re-enter society once again.

"You?" she circled out on the menu once more.

"Well, you probably can guess." Vritra laughed sadly as he swept his bangs to a side to reveal his eye patch. "It took my left eye."

"Wheeeee," Mika sighed apologetically, to which Vritra shook his arms in protest.

"It's ok. I'm used to it already." He replied gently, lifting Mika's spirits albeit slightly. "By the way, have you heard about that mysterious guild that's recruiting members? I have been travelling for a while and I haven't really found the guild house so I think I may be lost."

Now that really got Mika excited. She instantly began bouncing up and down in joy, a wide grin plastered on her face as she pointed at herself. For a while Vritra still looked a bit dumbstruck but when he finally connected the dots, he instantly came to a conclusion.

"OH! You're part of them aren't you?" Vritra grinned when he got Mika's message, causing her to laugh heartily. "That's a relief. Could you guide me to your master please? I would really like to join you guys."

"Vistarion, End of Month," Vritra read out again from the menu circling. "So I'll meet him at Vistarion at the end of the month?"

Mika nodded gleefully.

"That's great! I really hope to see him soon!" Vritra smiled. "Well I still have an errand to run so I'll be on my way now. See you at Vistarion then!" he called out before leaving the restaurant.

"Bah Bah!" Mika cried as she bade Vritra goodbye, watching as his figure disappeared into the crowd of the town centre. Today really was a good day. Not only did she managed to get out of trouble, she also managed to meet a fellow user and introduce him into the guild. Len and Vergil would definitely be proud of her.

At that moment, Mika paused. She seemed to be forgetting something. A quick glance to the clock jogged her memory instantly.

"AHHHHH!" she exclaimed, seeing as how it was almost an hour later already.

Now Len was really going to be mad with her!

 **Author's Note**

 **Grace Olympia – AnEternalMelodyToAFlamingSoul**

 **Kanna Ranmaru – Hofund**

 **Altar Beta Cancri – PrinceUrufu**

 **Vritra Zero – Death Obelisk**

 **Hi there, sorry for this chapter being a bit shorter than usual. A little update for you guys though. The next chapter won't be out so soon until two weeks later as I would like to collect a few more OCs first before actually making chapter plans. So until then, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and I'll see you guys soon.**


	4. The Knight and The Dragon

**Whaler Cove**

"So Boss, what do you sense?" Len asked, watching as Vergil meditated. His eyes were currently closed and he sat upright cross-legged, fists clenched and bashed together. He knew better than to interrupt him, but Vergil had been seated like that for the past 15 minutes without moving and that was got him a bit feisty. Even Mika seemed worried, cooing softly as she squatted in front of Vergil and stared hard at his face. When Vergil's eyes did open finally, it caught her by surprise, causing her to let out a soft squeak as she fell backwards.

"Multiple strong presences," Vergil started, causing both their eyes to widen in surprise. "It's the first in a while, to actually have a group of strong mages band together."

"You think they are in a guild already?" Len quipped, to which Vergil nodded in reply. For a place to share 2 strong mages, it usually meant two things. The first being that they were part of a guild. The second was that they were family. Between the two, Vergil was more inclined to the former, though he had seen rare cases of there being strong bloodlines before in Alvarez.

"Oh and another thing," Vergil added, this time turning to face Mika. "One of them's a Relic User."

"Ahhhhhh!" Mika moaned excitedly, jubilated that she may meet more comrades in arms.

With that, all three of them stepped out of the portal and began trekking towards their destination, Whaler Cove. The place was a medium sized trading town that was situated on a large circular bay at the base of a series of mountain formations found in the south of the Alvarez Empire. The town was named for the large amounts of whales that used to live there in the past, though their numbers had noticeably decreased in the past hundred or so years. Most of the town was carved into the mountains base and there were very few roads that would take the residents out of the city without the aid of a boat or ship.

"Ok, so where do we start," Len asked as soon as they arrived at the entrance of the town. All around them were miners hauling away with mining equipment and their sheer numbers made it difficult to discern a person from another. This was literally akin to finding a needle in a haystack.

"Find the trouble maker," Vergil smiled, giving a hint as to who they were looking for.

"Well that can't be too hard," Len smirked and as if by magic, they saw a huge explosion in the building to the left of the town centre. Though it was pretty far away, the trio could vaguely make out that it was white in color and was slightly larger than the rest of the others. What surprised them though was the columns of white sand that sprouted from the core of the building, indicating the source of the explosion.

"DAMN IT CHASE! GET BACK HERE!" a voice hollered from within the building. From the sound of it, he seemed to be buried under the sand pillars. Seconds later, a lithe figure darted out of the buildings' remnants, evidently the person whom the voice was calling out for. She was 5'5 feet tall with a slightly muscular but overall athletic build, having a Tawny skin tone with an average bust with slightly smaller hips. She had delicate features with a small nose, thin long eyebrows and long eyelashes. Her plum colored hair was straight but slightly curled towards the ends, kept in a high pony tail with only a small fringe falling onto the left side of her forehead. From afar, it was evident that she had numerous scars decorating her arms and legs, though the most obvious one on her face went from the lower part of her left ear towards her lips and ends a few centimeters below her bottom lip. She also had freckles that were more concentrated on the right side of her face, with a few specks to the left. She was currently wearing a long sleeved orange shirt that's slightly too large for her, the shirt having white stripes along the sleeves. Going with it was a pair of loose white shorts that reached her knees and black shoes with yellow accents.

"Blearrrgggghhhh!" Chase wagged her tongue at the building as she continued running straight. "That's what you get when you refuse my suggestions!"

So intent was she on gloating that she did not see where she was going, eventually crashing straight into Len. Instead of being knocked back like any other human, Len just stood still, most of the force rebounding back on Chase in the form of a massive headache.

"OWOWOWOWOOWOW!" Chase winced, groveling on the floor as she wrapped her aching forehead.

"Shit, you ok?" Len grimaced, reaching a hand out to help Chase up.

"Yeah I'll be fine," Chase replied, though the bruise on her head said otherwise. "Who are you guys though," she questioned, curiosity sparkling in her eyes. "You don't seem to be from around here."

Much to her delight, Vergil replied "We aren't. We are actually from Vistarion and are currently searching for guild mates."

"Cool! Do you guys have anyone in mind so far?" she quipped. "Our town's quite boring though and we don't really have much travelling mages."

"Well, one of them actually just ran into us." Vergil grinned.

"Damn," she smirked. "Now that's just rad. And here I was wondering when things would start to liven up. What's your guild called?"

"Abyss Fang," Len snorted proudly. "Only the best of the best get to join us, courtesy of Vergil's skills at detecting magical presences."

"The best of the best huh," Chase smirked, liking the sound of things already. "Gimme a sec will ya," she suddenly added, her eyes sparkling with an idea. "I think there's someone else that yall might wanna have too!"

Before any of the trio could say anything, Chase immediately took off, sprinting towards the town centre at breakneck speeds.

"She's a ball of hype if you ask me," Len smirked, liking the girl's attitude and enthusiasm already. "We could definitely use more mages like her."

"True," Vergil replied. Most of the mages they have added thus far were either cold or arrogant. Compared to them, Chase was like a little ball of sunshine and he was pretty sure she could liven up the atmosphere in the guild.

Before they could continue with their musings, they saw a trail of smoke erupting from the town centre. At the head of it was Chase, her arm outstretched as though she was currently dragging someone along. If there was someone, they were currently engulfed in the smoke trail.

Her heels screeching to a halt, Chase stumbled slightly as she made an emergency brake to prevent ramming into Len again. She did not seem exhausted in the slightest even after taking off at such speeds. If anything, it only seemed to fuel her excitement even more.

"Tadah!" she exclaimed, arms outstretched as though giving a presentation. "I would like you to meet my sister, Kimber!"

The girl in question looked almost identical to Chase. Like her sister, Kimber stood at 5'5 feet tall with a fairly skinny build and very little defined muscles. She had a relatively small bust with slightly wider hips as well as delicate features with a small nose, thin eyebrows and long eyelashes. Her plum colored hair had unruly curls that reached a bit past her chin with a few random strands that were a few inches longer and was currently worn down with only a thin white hair band to keep most of her hair from her round hazel eyes. She currently wore a cream colored spaghetti strap shirt with dark red swirled designs on the bottom; she also wore red shorts that reached her mid thigh. She had dark brown boots that go just above her ankles to finish off the set. Unlike Chase, Kimber seemed to be slightly out of breath, panting heavily as she tried to remain standing.

"I'm…sorry…if….my sister has caused…trouble," she wheezed in between breaths, bowing slightly in apology. That caused Chase's face to blush slightly in embarrassment as she snapped back, "Hey I don't always do that you know!"

"Nice to meet you Kimber," Vergil smiled as he extended a handshake which Kimber took. Meanwhile Len and Mika were surprisingly silent. Not because of the similarities between the duo, but rather what Kimber was carrying on her back.

"I be damned," Len hissed. "And I thought Mika's one was huge."

The object in question was the giant halberd that Kimber currently had slung over her back. It easily seemed to tower over Kimber by at least 3 feet, having two rounded blades towards the end of the staff that end at sharp points creating a rounded 'W' weapon with a slightly longer spear head directly between the blades. The staff of the halberd was a crimson red color while the blades were gold in color. Around the other end of the halberd is a pure white clothe that was tied in a braid up the staff.

"Ahhhhhhhh," Mika gasped in surprise, holding up her own weapon in comparison. Compared to that thing, Virsago was a mere pair of hedge clippers.

"Ooooo!" Chase squealed in surprise as she spotted Mika's weapon. "You're just like Kimber, aren't you?" Before Mika could even answer, Chase was all over her, staring and poking at Virsago.

"Don't mind my sister," Kimber sighed, seeing Len's dumbstruck face. "She's always excited over anything new. Our village is quite isolated from Alvarez you see, so we don't really have many things to do every day."

"I see," Vergil noted, observing that majority of the town's folk were all wearing the same garb and carrying about mining equipment. "I'm guessing you don't have much training with your halberd too?"

"Yeah," Kimber smiled sadly. "We do have a mages guild in town but our mentor doesn't really know much about it so or about pole arm fighting so I am only getting by with using its most basic abilities only."

"I could train you if you like. Both of you." Vergil addressed the two sisters. "You guys could certainly get a lot more exposure and experiences with other mages. I'm pretty sure you guys are gonna love the guild."

"Awesome!" shrieked Chase in jubilation. "Anything to see the outside world!"

"Well, if she goes I go too," Kimber gave a small smile. "Someone has to keep her company and out of trouble at times."

"HEY!"

"Well then, welcome aboard!" Vergil smirked.

"SIR YES SIR!" the twins replied in unison.

 **Easter Town**

"Come one come all!" a villager yelled amidst the horde of people that were swarming around him. "There's a fight breaking out! It's time to take your bets! Who do you think will win?"

"A thousand on the Knight!" one yelled out, tossing a large sack of coins towards him.

"No way man! 500 on the Dragon!" another retorted, raising a bag full of gems.

Bets continued to flow in from the endless stream of villagers that were currently standing at the edge of the forest. From there, they had a good view of the clearing that lay ahead as well as the two fighters that stood there. Not that anyone of them had the balls to get any closer, seeing as how stray sparks and clashes of metal rang out in all directions.

In the left corner was what appeared to be a human dragon hybrid. Said male was standing at about 6'5, having an athletic build and Caucasian skin tone. His black hair was cut into a short crew cut and his eyes, while normally round and brown, were currently gold and slitted. Sharp canines were visible as he snarled at his opponent, white scales plating his arms and legs. He donned a white set of armor whose breastplate had various ancient runes inscribed onto it and spiky, jagged shoulder guards and arm gauntlets. Barely visible beneath the armor was a white t-shirt, long black pants, and brown combat boots. To add on to his appearance were a pair of snow white wings and a triangular tail, further affirming his identity as a dragon.

In the right corner, his opponent seemed much more docile, though one would be careful to judge a book by its cover. Like what the bystanders described, the man was literally a knight, though his armor was way less complex, having what seemed to be a simple iron forged chest plate, helm, gauntlets and leggings. Above his armor, he wore a blue gambeson and beneath it, one could faintly make out a black shirt and pants. Currently shielded by his helm were his raven black, tousled hair and a pair of crimson red, upturned eyes. Overall, he was slightly dwarfed by the dragon, standing at an even 6'0 but equally as muscular seeing as how he was holding his weapon. In his right hand was a great sword that had a golden handle, a glinting silver blade and an iron chain attached to the hilt. While normally held with two hands, the Knight seemed to have no trouble wielding it with just one, spinning it around his fingers with ease.

"This is annoying," the Dragon grunted. "Why are you called the knight? Can't they see the shining white armor I'm wearing also? Ridiculous!"

"That's ironic coming from the guy who looks, smells and talks like a dragon," the Knight retorted. "Don't sweat it though, for I am the light which overcomes the shadow. I am the henchman of justice. I am the sword of the poor…" he rattled on and on before the Dragon cut him off.

"Blah blah blah…" the Dragon made exaggerated faces as he emulated the Knight's speech, sticking out his tongue and rolling his eyes. "Talk is cheap if you don't have the skills to back it up."

"Well then," the Knight smirked under his helm, "How about I shut you up. Permanently. After all it's the job of knights to slay dragons." With that he readied a battle stance, his arm cocked back and holding his Greatsword in a reverse grip.

"Bring it."

Before the words even left the Dragon's mouth, the Knight had already moved. In an instant, he closed the gap between the two and was at the Dragon's feet before he knew it. In a swift movement, he swung his weapon intending to end it in a single strike. Too bad for him though as the Dragon's instincts kicked in way before the weapon was swung. The Dragon's eyes caught the slight contractions in his muscles and in a heartbeat, took to the skies, causing the Knight to cleave the air instead. The force behind the strike though was strong enough to unleash a destructive wave that shredded the trees behind the Dragon.

Now it was the Dragon's turn. Tucking his wings in, he proceeded to dive-bomb his opponent, spirals of white magic charged up at his fist. The Knight evaded swiftly as well, just in time as his fist ploughed through the earth that he once stood upon, causing a miniature explosion of mana. The Dragon wasn't done yet though, spinning around and slamming his tail into the Knight. Once again the Knight guarded with the edge of his Great Sword, grunting slightly as he felt the force behind the attack. Making use of the situation at hand, the Knight ran his sword along the length of the Dragon's tail, succeeding in scoring a gash along the Dragon's chest plate and forcing it back.

"Oh now you've done it!" The Dragon snapped as he examined the gash. If anything, it hurt his pride more than it did to him. He then got into a crouch on all fours, a white magic appearing before his mouth.

"Holy Knight Dragon's Roar!" he yelled as he released column of white flames directed at the Knight. The Knight swiftly brought his Greatsword before him, blocking the breath attack head on, the white flames washing over his armor as though a cool breeze.

"A for effort, but that's all you're going to get." He laughed, swiping his Great Sword to aside as he charged once more.

"You're gonna regret doing that!" the Dragon growled back, white magic swirling around his fist as he called out, "Holy Knight Dragon's White Knuckle!"

As both of them were in the midst of charging, Vergil suddenly chose that moment to land right in between them, obscuring either party's view.

"Now now, would you two be so nice as to halt for a second?"

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" both of them yelled in unison. "YOU"RE INTEFERING!"

"Oh well," Vergil shrugged. "I did try to stop them."

Just as they were inches away from Vergil, Len and Mika both landed next to him, weapons drawn and magic circles charged. Using Virsago, Mika caught the Knight's Great Sword and with a heave, sent him flying backwards, crashing him into a row of trees which crumpled like wet tissues. Len's arms were transformed into two sledgehammers that seemed to spark with thunder. As soon as the Dragon neared, Len swung them, the first connecting with the Dragon's arm and burying it into the ground. The second was directed at his chin, nearly crushing his jawbone as he was sent flying backwards, tumbling into the dirt end over end before finally stopped by a tree.

"Well screw me, that's gonna leave a mark," the Knight groaned as he examined his Greatsword, the blade slightly chipped where Mika had grabbed him.

"For once I agree," the Dragon grunted as he held his hand up to chin, a bruise already swelling where Len's blow had connected. "The hell are you anyway."

"The name's Vergil," Vergil smiled before addressing his two other companions. "And these two are Mika and Len. We were just passing by and your magic interested me so we decided to drop by for a look."

"So…You're trying to recruit us right?" The Knight asked, stepping back and mulling over the situation. There was a high chance that the man was probably lying and just trying to capture strong mages. He had come out of nowhere just to talk to them. How did he even mange that anyway? He was pretty sure his guard wasn't let down the whole time during the spar, so why didn't he notice his presence to start with? Then again, there seemed to be a fairly innocent look in his eyes and he did see a guild mark on the back of his palm.

"What's your guild called again?" he enquired, just to make sure that they weren't hiding anything.

"Abyss Fang," Len grunted, "Only the strongest are chosen to join us."

Well that checked out at least for the Knight. He had heard stories about said guild recruiting members at random. Looks like the rumors were indeed true.

"Hmph, well you have come to the right place lad." The Dragon snorted arrogantly as his transformation subsided. The white scales on his body were disappearing and the wings and tail shrinking back into his body. "You stand before the almighty Holy Knight Dragon Slayer and I have never lost a fight." His chest was puffed out slightly in pride as he proclaimed his awesomeness, causing Len to roll his eyes.

"Great, another bigot," Len muttered under his breath, causing Mika to nudge him in the gut to shut up before he was heard.

"So will you join?" Vergil asked.

"Of course," the Dragon smirked.

The Knight thought for a moment. "Are you really going to just let people like us into the guild? Aren't you gonna ask about our histories and stuff?" he asked, just to err on the side of caution.

"Well I don't really care so much about that," Vergil stated. "As long as you are willing to help others in need, I accept all regardless of background. Besides, if you guys do have any ill intent, I would have noticed at first glance."

'Excellent, then I too shall join. Be glad that the Knight of Justice stands with you."

"Fantastic," Vergil clapped his hands together, "The only thing I need of you now is your names."

"Sakai," the dragon grinned.

"Nero," the knight said.

 **Owl City, Appraisal Shop**

A 5'9 man in his late teens closed the door to the appraisal shop that he had just visited as he let out a small sigh, casually spinning the combat knife in his right hand. That was the tenth shop that he had visited in the week and none of them knew anything about the knife that he carried. Most of the owners either chased him out of their stores shouting voodoo or could barely understand the inscriptions on the knife. It really wouldn't surprise him if he never found out about the secrets to the knife.

The man was had golden spiky hairy that was being held by a black headband with the word speed in kanji along with two strands of hair that extended out from his forehead. He had a rounded face with fairly average features and peach colored skin. His eyes were blue like the sky and a pair of blue goggles with silver trimmings hung from his neck. He wore an electric blue sweat shirt that had yellow streaks of lightning across the sleeves and pair of identical running pants, coupled by the storm blue sneakers on his feet.

His combat knife though, stood out like a sore thumb against his outfit. For one, it was almost pure white, save for the bronze guard and grey leather on the hilt. The white blade was stretched with red veins that resembled cracks and when the man pumped magic into the blade, they would shimmer and spark with energy.

He had barely taken a few steps before bumping into Vergil, lost in his own world as his mind was filled with questions about his mysterious weapon.

"Sorry about that," he said holding up his hands.

"Its fine," Vergil smiled. He was looking around for the source of that large… His eyes fell onto the knife and widened slightly in amusement. There it was, though it kinda surprised him how small it actually was.

"Hey," he questioned the man, just to be sure. "Sorry for probing but did you lose something when you got that weapon?"

"Yeah, I did," the man answered in a surprised manner as he rolled up the sleeve on his left arm to reveal an organic metal material that replaced everything from below his forearm. That was more information than any appraisal owner had given him thus far, and it came out of a passing stranger nonetheless. "Do you recognize it?"

"In terms of category yes," Vergil stated. "But as to what it does, I'm not really sure." From what he could tell, the knife was currently dormant. That was a scenario that he had never come across before. Most relic users he had encountered had already "awakened" their weapons' powers to a certain extent but yet this man's one was still fast asleep.

"Do you think you can help me?" the man pleaded. "I have asked so many people but no one could give me a definite answer. At least I would like to know what it does or if there was a way to get my arm back."

Vergil thought for a moment, not sure how to reply the man. Of the two questions, he already knew the answer to one of them. The weapons went by the law of equivalent exchange, meaning the greater their strength the more valuable something is taken from you. The only way to return to normal would be to relinquish control over the weapon but that was easier said than done. August had spent a good 5 years researching how to do so but to no avail so he wasn't so sure if he knew how to do when the most almighty of Alvarez mages couldn't do so.

"Well, my name is Vergil and I do have some knowledge about your knife. I was wondering if you would like to join my guild and maybe we could figure things out from there."

"Great, that would help out a lot! The name's Zephyr by the way," Zephyr chimed, elated that he would finally be getting some well deserved answers.

Vergil's face frowned ever so slightly at the man's joy. He wasn't so sure he was gonna like the answers that lay ahead of him but then again, the future was uncertain so all he could do now was take a step at a time and hope for the best.

 **Author's Note**

 **Chase and Kimber Zornitta – ShadedLyht**

 **Nero Anderson – RavensWorld**

 **Sakai Nemagin – Coolfireblast**

 **Zephyr Damon – Carnation Cascade**

Well sorry for the short chapter cause I'm currently working on papers for my Bachelor's degree. Updates will be sporadic depending on the time I have on my hands so please be patient.


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